Barrel-heading press.



J. G. DARNALL.

BARREL READING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED mm. a. 1913.

Patented July 14, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

-HE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-LITHD.. WASHINGTON. D- C.

J. U. DARNALL.

BARREL HBADING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED 1320.8. 1913.

1, 1 O3, 1 75. Patented July 14, 1914.

2 BHEETB-BHEBT 2.

l! H- J- H ll JCDa/rna/ZZ;

THE NORRIS PETERS COH PHOTO-LITHO" WASHINGTON. D.

tirrrrn srar JOHN C. DARNALL, OF STAUNTON, VIRGINIA.

BARREL-HEADING PRESS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 114;, 1914;.

To all whom it may concern: A Be it known that 1, JOHN C. DARNALL, citizen of the United States, residing at Staunton, in the county of Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barrel- Heading Presses, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. v

llhis invention relates to an improved press for use in packing fruit and has for its primary object to provide a simply constructed and easily operated press of this character to act upon the heads of a barrel after the fruit has been placed therein so as not only to effect a quick and eflicient closure of the barrel, but which will place the heads in such a condition that notwithstanding the subsequent shrinkage of the fruit, while in storage, said heads will automatically maintain the fruit under proper pressure without in any way bruising or injuring the same.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a presser block provided with an annular flange on its edge projecting from one face of the block and adapted to engage with the head of the barrel or cask at its edge, to force the same inwardly into the end of the barrel and cause the head to assume a bulging or concavo-convex form whereby the release of pressure upon the barrel walls due to shrinkage of the fruit is compensated for, so that a tight engagement of the edge of the barrel head with the chime of the barrel will be at all times maintained.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision. of an improved supporting base for the barrel by means of which the barrel may be jarred or oscillated without danger of slipping, in order to cause the fruit to settle and become closely packed in the barrel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved supporting frame for the presser block whereby the same may be easily and quickly swung to an operative or inoperative posit-ion with relation to the barrel.

With the above and other objects in view as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the present invention showing the same in its operative position; Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at right angles to Fig. 1 and showing the presser block supported in its inoperative position to permit of the removal of the barrel; Fig. 8 is an enlarged section showing the head of, the barrel after it has been inserted and the presser block in engagement therewithpFig. 4c is a plan view of the barrel supporting base; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5'5 of Fig. 4c.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5

designates a base which is preferably constructed from several arcuate shaped pieces of timber joined together in any preferred manner to produce a continuous annular body. To the inner and outer edges of this annular base member the metal tires 6 and 7 respectively are applied. Transverse bolts 8 extend through the annular base and through said tires to securely join the same together. The inner metal tire 6 projects above the upper surface of the annular base 5 to form a flange which is adapted tofit within the chime of the barrel body at one end. The outer metal tire 7 is of greater width than the thickness of the base and extends downwardly below the plane of the bottom surface of said base to form a gripping edge for engagement with a board or platform upon which the device is arranged. This outer metal rim or tire 7 prevents the supporting base from slipping upon the platform when the barrel is jarred or oscillated to cause the fruit to settle therein. A

tion of the frame 10 and between the arms thereof, a head block 12 is secured- This block is provided with a central opening in which a metal sleeve 13 is secured, said sleeve being provided with internal screw threads to receive the threads of a screw 14. It is of course understood that the frame bar 10 is provided with'an opening which coincides with the hereof the sleeve 13. Upon the upper end of the screw threaded vrod 14.- a suitable handle 15 is secured whereby said rod may be turned in the head block 12.

The presser block 16 consists of two thicknesses of wood which are secured together in any preferred manner. To the upper section, a metal bearing socket 17 for the lower end of the rod 14: is secured, said socket fitting into an opening or recess centrally formed in the head section. This lower end of the rod 14 is provided with an annular groove 18 to receive the end ofv a set screw 19, said screw. loosely engaging in the groove so as to permit of the free rotary movement ofthe rod 14: to prevent'the oscillation of the block 16 with respect to said rod. The presser block 16 is preferably circular in form and the outer edge thereof is clownwardly and outwardly beveled or inclined as clearly shown in Fig. To the under sideof the presser block at its outer edge, a ring or annulus 20 of circular form in cross section is applied and secured by suitable screws or analogousfastening elements indicated at 20. This ring having a convex or rounded surface will readily move within the chime of the barrel and against the head when the presser block is adjusted.

1n the use of my device, the presser or follower block is swung into position over the barrel containing fruit, say for example, apples, which is arranged upon the base 5.

The upper barrel head is then placed in position in the upper end of the barrel and the screw 1 1 turned by the operator whereby the presser or follower block 16 is forced down into the barrel, the ring or. annulus 20 fitting'within the chime thereof and en gaging the barrel head near its outer edge.

The head will therebybe forced down into the barrel and in engagement with the chime, and as the apples or other fruit are pressed toward the central portion of the barrel by. the pressure upon the heads, both the upper and lower heads of the barrel will be caused to assume the outwardly bulging condition illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. The presser or follower block is then swung to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the barrel removed from the base 5. The outward bulge which is given to the barrel heads in the manner above stated is Y of great practical value and importance, for

quently, while the fruitis in cold storage, the fruit may shrink considerably. This is due to the fact that the inner faces of the heads from the moisture in the fruit will be kept damp while the outer sides thereof will remain dry,and hence, the natural warping of the heads, under these'conditions, will cause them to move inwardly and tend to of the fruit proceeds," thereby maintaining a pressure of the heads upon the fruit. This inward or straightening movement of the heads also assuresthe tight setting or engagement of the heads at their edges with the barrel walls. By providing the upstanding rim 6- upon the. base, it will be understood that the lower ends of the staves of the barrel are slightly spaced from the filler blocks of the base arranged between the metal tires or rims 6 and7. An additional I assume their original form as the shrinkage advantage of this rim 6 which projects into d the lower end of the barrel is thatwhen the barrel is jarred or shaken to settle the fruit, said barrel will not he accidentally thrown ofl of the base.

- In order to support the presser block 16 in its inoperative position shown in Fig. 2, I

provide the legs .21 which are pivotally connected to the outer ends of the parallelarms of the frame 10, and are adapted to assume a vertical position with their free ends resting uponthe ground or floor. These legs are preferably in the form of rectangular iron bars.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction and manner ofuse of my improved head applyingfldevice for barrels and casks will be clearly understood. By means of the same, the barrel heads may be easily and quickly applied to close the ends of the barrel, withoutdanger of injury to the fruit or other contents of the barrel. Owing to the fact that but few parts are employed in the construction of the invention, it will be obvious that the same is extremely strong anddurable in use and may v be manufactured "at comparatively small cost. The device is susceptible of a great many minormodiflcations in the form, proportion and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the essential features or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. Ina device of the class described, the combination of a base to support a receptacle, said base including an annular body, a metal tire secured to the outer edge of said body and projecting below the same to support the body in spaced relation to a floor or platform, means secured to the inner edge of said body for engagement with a receptacle head, a movable presser block to engage a head arranged in the other end of the receptacle mounted upon said base, and means for mounting the presser block upon the base whereby the same may be swung to an operative or inoperative position with relation to the receptacle.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base to support a receptacle said base including an annular body and metal tires secured to the inner and outer edges of said body and respectively projecting above and below the same, said inner tire being adapted to engage upon the edge of a closure head for one end of the receptacle, a movable presser block to engage the edge of a closure head for the other end of the receptacle, and means for mounting the presser block upon the base whereby the same may be swung to an operative or inoperative position with relation to the receptacle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. DARNALL. Witnesses:

D. W. GALL,

FREDERICK S. STILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

